As <i>Crain's</i> goes to press . . .

Late headlines from the Monday, Oct. 31 issue

A. T. Kearney partners are close to a deal to acquire the Chicago consultancy from its Texas-based owner, Electronic Data Systems (EDS). A person familiar with the talks says negotiators have reached a "handshake agreement" on terms. Kearney's 200 partners will decide next month whether to join the buyout. Other details were unavailable. EDS said earlier this year that it would unload Kearney, which it acquired in 1995. An EDS spokesman would confirm only that "we continue to be in discussions with interested parties, including A. T. Kearney management." [Shruti Daté Singh]

Condos power 3Q new-home sales

New-home sales in the city of Chicago continued to sizzle in the third quarter, rising 31% over the year-earlier period, according to Schaumburg real estate consultant Tracy Cross & Associates. Condos accounted for all but 63 of the 2,286 city units sold during the quarter. Through three quarters of 2005, city sales totaled 7,869 units, up 40% from 2004. Suburban sales, meanwhile, grew 1.5% in the third quarter to 6,541 units. The average price of a new single-family home in the region rose 8% in the third quarter to $313,282, while the average price of a condo or townhouse advanced 3% to $342,449. [Bob Tita]

Yours for $7 mil.: TV tower naming rights

The developers who plan to build a 2,000-foot-tall broadcast tower on the lakefront are trying to find a corporate sponsor who would pay $7 million to $10 million a year for naming rights. "That's pretty much the going rate," says Chicago developer J. Paul Beitler, who is teaming up with Chicago-based LR Development on the project at Lake Shore Drive and Illinois Street. If built, the structure would be the world's tallest free-standing broadcast tower. [Alby Gallun]

Fewer insurance beefs in 2004: study

Consumer complaints about their insurers fell last year, according to a new report by the Illinois Division of Insurance. Auto insurance complaints filed with the division declined 16% vs. 2003, while homeowners insurance complaints fell 30%. Last year's decline in homeowners complaints was the first in several years, the division noted. [Steve Daniels]

Boeing delays ruling on 747's fate

With a flurry of orders in hand or anticipated, Boeing says it won't decide whether to end production of its 747 aircraft until late 2006, or beyond, according to an SEC filing. Once expected to mothball the venerable jumbo jet this year, Chicago-based Boeing is now mulling a new version that employs technical breakthroughs developed for its new 787 jetliner. [Julie Johnsson]